5 Best Thailand Backpacking Tours 2025 & 2026

My Top 3 Picks: Thailand Backpacking Tours

#1 TOP PICK

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Classic Thailand – G Adventures
✔️ 14 day tour
✔️ Best backpacking experience
✔️ 2-3 date options each month

↳ Book it

#2 PICK

Total Thailand – Contiki
✔️ 14 days
✔️ 7 destinations
✔️ Group size avg. 24

↳ Book it

#3 PICK

Iconic Thailand – G Adventures
✔️ 15 days
✔️ Immersive experiences
✔️ Focus on culture

↳ Book it

1. Classic Thailand – West Coast (G Adventures)

⭐RATING: 4.8 out of 5 Stars | ⌛ TOUR LENGTH: 14 days |
🧍 GROUP SIZE: Max 16, Avg. 12 | 🇹🇭 BOOK NOW

The number one Thailand backpacking tour in my opinion is the Classic Thailand – West Coast tour hosted by G Adventures. It’s the perfect tour for a first-time trip to Thailand.

If you haven’t heard of G Adventures before, then you need to get to know them. They are one of the most well-renowned tour companies for hosting backpacking trips all around the world.

And they provide some of the best in Thailand too. I personally recommend taking the Classic Thailand – West Coast tour.

If you are backpacking Thailand for the first time, you probably want to see all of the “must-sees” and the traditional stops along a typical Thailand itinerary.

Well, the Classic Thailand tour covers exactly that. It stops at all the usual destinations and provides lots of fun activities along the way.

Destinations: Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai, Ko Ngai, Ko Lanta, Ao Nang (Krabi).

As you can see, it stops all over the country and provides a complete tour from north to south over the 14-day tour.

In terms of things to do, so many things are included. From a Klong riverboat tour in Bangkok to the Ayutthaya Temple ruins tour, or the half-day snorkelling through the Trang Islands or the beach barbecue on Ko Lanta, you’re guaranteed to have the trip of a lifetime.

3 internal flights are even included in the price! If you’re interested, they’re from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, Bangkok to Ko Ngai and Ao Nang to Bangkok (the tour starts and ends in Bangkok). All other transportation (buses, etc.) is also included.

To quote the review above, you will have three main outcomes from booking the Classic Thailand – West Coast tour. Firstly, you will learn a lot. Secondly, you will get to try lots of new things- new foods, new activities, new cultures, etc.

Thirdly, and in my opinion, one of the best outcomes…you get to meet some incredible people. One of the best reasons for booking a Thailand backpacking tour is the people you meet.

You will make friends for life, I promise you.

Before I ever stayed in a hostel, or I ever took a group tour, I had read myself how easy it was to make new friends and I always thought to myself, “Yeah sure, but how easy really is it?”.

It’s really easy. Effortless, almost. It happens so naturally. It’s hard to explain until you experience it for yourself, but I promise you, that you will leave a tour like this with new-found mates.

Especially since you usually share a room with one other traveller (of the same sex). So you get to know that person really well. Although, you can pay extra to have your own room at each destination.

But if you’re looking for a backpacking tour, I’m guessing you’re probably happy to share a room in order to save money.

All sound good? There are lots of date options all year round, typically around 3-4 different date options per month, but more or less depending on demand. And you can book up to 2.5 years ahead.

But make sure to book the Classic Thailand – West Coast tour well in advance as it does sell out, especially during peak seasons, so make sure to be prepared and secure your spot on the date you want.

2. Total Thailand Trip (Contiki)

⭐RATING: 4.9 out of 5 Stars | ⌛ TOUR LENGTH: 14 days |
🧍 GROUP SIZE: Avg 24 | 🇹🇭 BOOK NOW

If you would like another option that also offers the typical Thailand backpacking experience in the form of a group tour, then take a look at the Total Thailand Trip hosted by Contiki.

Contiki is another highly thought of company for hosting group tours, especially those for backpackers. You can’t go wrong with any of their tours.

Total Thailand Trip is a similar trip to the first one in terms of destinations, just with a slightly different format.

Destinations: Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Chiang Mai, Pai, Surat Thani, Khao Sok, Krabi.

It’s important to point out straight away that this tour starts in Bangkok but ends in Krabi. So make sure when you are booking your flights, you consider this.

However, I would suggest just booking a flight from Krabi back to Bangkok as it’s much easier to fly internationally from BKK. Oh and if it wasn’t already implied, these tours do not include your flights to and from Thailand, you need to sort that yourself.

I like that this tour visits Pai, it’s one of the destinations many people skip over in Thailand but I love it. To make your life easy for you in deciding which tour to go with, I’ll summarise as follows:

The first tour, Classic Thailand has a much faster pace. It’s got a lot more travelling and typically only spends one night in most places so you visit a lot more destinations. This tour, Total Thailand Trip, is a lot slower and visits less destinations, but visits them more thoroughly.

It pretty much comes down to how you want to travel. Do you want to see more places? Or do you want to see fewer places, but see them well? That makes your decision for you.

Also, Contiki also allows you to pay over time, all they need is a £60 deposit and you can pay in interest-free instalments. It’s a really great way to make travel more affordable and I applaud them for it.

If you decide to go with Total Thailand, you get to do things like these: Relax at Erawan Waterfalls; Sail Lake Cheow Lan and take a Thai cooking class. It’s got all sorts of activities!

As the above review says, the days are jam-packed with things to do! You definitely won’t be left with any time to be bored.

But you are given free time, which I like. These tours all offer the perfect balance between a guided Thailand backpacking tour, and allowing you to have your own personal backpacking experience too.

If you are less flexible with dates though, you might prefer the first tour, as Total Thailand only takes place once or twice a month, but when it does take place, oh it takes place. What a tour!

By the way, only people aged 18-35 are allowed to take the tour. If you are older, I’m sorry but unfortunately, this isn’t the tour for you. Classic Thailand takes older backpackers.

If you’re under 35, perfect! Then make sure to book Total Thailand for the ultimate Thailand adventure and to create memories to last a lifetime.

3. Iconic Thailand (G Adventures)

⭐RATING: 4.7 out of 5 Stars | ⌛ TOUR LENGTH: 15 days |
🧍 GROUP SIZE: Max 16, Avg. 12 | 🇹🇭 BOOK NOW

Backpackers are often travellers who want to experience new things. Iconic Thailand is the best Thailand backpacking tour for culture. The whole tour revolves around cultural experiences.

Throughout this unique 15-day Thai adventure, you will get to experience all aspects of the culture of Thailand.

From meeting monks from a Buddhist temple to visiting a rural village in Krabi, Iconic Thailand really immerses you in the culture, and opens your eyes to the way of life in Thailand.

Destinations: Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai, Ko Samui, Khao Sok, Krabi

One of the best reasons to visit Thailand is the culture, and there’s no better way to experience it than by taking a trip with a focus on culture.

But of course, you get to experience everything else too. Island life. Stunning scenery. You name it, and this tour has it.

To sum up how important culture is to this tour, it has a ripple score of 100 (out of 100, the higher the better).

A ripple score is G Adventure’s way of making sure things are with local businesses, rather than tourist traps.

In other words, they arrange things in person with local tours and excursions, rather than online.

So by booking Iconic Thailand, you are having the trip of a lifetime, and helping local businesses along the way.

You also take part in a rainforest Eco-Walk, which is a hike through Klong Phanom National Park focusing on the conservation of animals and nature in the area.

All in all, if you want to learn a ton about Thai culture, support the local economy, and be an overall good person, book Iconic Thailand.

Disclaimer: you’re not a bad person if you book the other tours 😀

4. Northern Thailand: Hilltribes & Villages (G Adventures)

⭐RATING: 4.7 out of 5 Stars | ⌛ TOUR LENGTH: 8 days |
🧍 GROUP SIZE: Max 18, Avg. 12 | 🇹🇭 BOOK NOW

You might have already researched Thailand a bit and decided you want to visit a certain part of the country. The south is known for its islands, and the north for its mountains. Northern Thailand: Hilltribes & Villages is the best way to get an in-depth dive into the north of Thailand.

Northern Thailand: Hilltribes & Villages is aimed at young travellers looking for a Thailand backpacking tour with similar people.

The age range is 18-39, or as G Adventures like to call it, 18-thirtysomethings. Unfortunately, if you’re 40 or older, this isn’t the tour for you. But don’t worry- there is a very similar tour of Northern Thailand with no age limit.

Regardless, Northern Thailand will open your eyes to the way of life in this magical part of our world. The culture is abundant and the tour takes you beyond the temples, beyond the street markets, and shows you what everyday life is like here.

Destinations: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Ban Mae Jok, Pa Khao Lam & lots of small villages

As the name suggests, it’s all about learning about hill tribes and villages, and there’s no better way to do so than by visiting these places yourself.

In my opinion, it’s one of the best tours you can take because visiting small villages is always so heartwarming. The locals are always so friendly and welcoming, and greet you with a smile on their faces no matter who you are, where you come from, or what you look like; it doesn’t matter to them.

After all, Thailand is nicknamed the Land of Smiles.

As well as visiting the small villages, there is also a hill tribe trek in the mountains around Chiang Mai where you get to go bamboo rafting, meet the locals, and get a feel for the incredibly beautiful Thai jungles.

It feels pretty epic to trek through the jungles in Southeast Asia, to be honest! I felt like a proper explorer haha. There’s so many opportunities along the Banana Pancake Trail.

If you want a Thailand backpacking group tour where you get to go beyond the popular destinations, and instead visit small villages and get to meet tons of new people, then definitely consider booking Northern Thailand: Hilltribes & Villages.

5. South to North Thailand Group Tour (Feel Free Travel)

⭐RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⌛ TOUR LENGTH: 15 days |
🧍 GROUP SIZE: Avg. 12-16 | 🇹🇭 BOOK NOW

Last but by no means least is the South to North Thailand Group Tour by Feel Free Travel. It actually provides one of the best “backpacking” tours of Thailand, in my opinion. And I have a discount code which gets you £50 off too! I’ll tell you it in a sec!

I have a personal soft spot for Feel Free Travel as I work alongside them regularly posting blog posts on their site. I know how great the time behind the tours are and how hard they work…I’ve seen it first time.

That’s how I managed to secure you a code which brings you £50 off South to North Thailand Group Tour! Simply put in the code “ABW-SAVE50” and save £50 on your trip! Backpackers and discount codes go hand in hand like monkeys and bananas.

Destinations: Bangkok, Khao Sok, Krabi, Railay Beach, Phi Phi Islands, Chiang Mai & Pai

The tours are known for how close the group of people become, the atmosphere on the tours is really great and you’re as close to guaranteed as possible to make new lifelong friends.

And you also get to visit some of the best destinations in Thailand which some other tours miss out on. The Phi Phi islands for example…what a place! It’s on so many people’s bucket lists, and what better way to experience it than with a bunch of new like-minded friends?

South to North Thailand Group Tour also includes many more activities, with over 30 different activities included over the 15 day adventure (and many more additional ones which you can pay a little extra for). The likes of feeding elephants, getting involved in Muay Thai, tubing in Khao Sok, and more, are all included.

All things which I would include on an itinerary if I was DIY backpacking Thailand.

You will be left with hundreds and hundreds of memories and stories. One of the best parts about going backpacking is the stories you can tell afterwards, right?

Hopefully it sounds as good to you as I know it is, and remember to use the code
ABW-SAVE50 to get £50 off when booking South to North Thailand Group Tour.